by Maggie Mundy
“You look like the cat that got the cream. No regrets?” he said.
“Definitely not.”
“I think I’m making a bad woman out of you.”
“I like that idea.” She touched his cheek with her hand and raised her head up and kissed him long and slow. When they came apart, she shivered.
“Grab the doona, Beth, and I’ll get the clothes. After all, I wouldn’t want the kids to come back early tomorrow and find your G-string on the coffee table.” Beth wrapped the doona around her body and waddled off down the corridor as he blew out the candles.
“Or your condoms,” she called back.
Walking into the bedroom, he dumped the clothes in the chair beside the dressing table. Beth threw the doona over the bed and slipped into a nightie and under the bedclothes.
Greg moved over to the cot and saw Josh sleeping. It was cooler down this end of the house, but he looked snug and warm. As Greg slipped under the covers she pulled closer to him, and then turned away so she faced Josh. Snuggling into her back, he placed his arm around her waist. This was how normal people felt in bed together––not a good sign. He was buying into the whole family thing. For now, he just wanted to sleep with her body next to him and pretend he was one of those normal people for the first time in his life.
****
Greg had not heard a thing. Maybe this selective deafness in fathers was a real thing. She was breastfeeding Josh as he lay there and watched. This was surreal. He was in bed with Beth, and she was breastfeeding. When she finished, she handed Josh to him. Josh was already drifting off to sleep as he laid him back down in the cot.
“He’s better than my other two were at this point. Not three months, and he’s sleeping most of the night.”
“Well, it can’t be because his mother is showing any signs of responsibility.”
Beth jabbed him in the ribs, then smiled. She wanted him again. He was hard and ready for her. If he had known she had been out here waiting for him, he would have scaled the prison walls.
Chapter Eleven
Beth lay in her bed with Greg’s warm body snuggled up next to her. His left arm draped over the top of her naked body, and his fingers entwined with hers. She couldn’t keep the smile of contentment from her face, even if Greg had made it clear he wasn’t interested in anything permanent. Beth turned and gazed at him: he had satisfied her twice and her head kept telling herself she wasn’t in love. The problem was, her heart wasn’t listening.
“Did you hear that?” Beth sat upright.
“What?” Greg yawned and rubbed his eyes and squinted at her.
“Just stay here, because if what I hear in my kitchen is true, it’s my worst nightmare. They’re not meant to be here.” Beth grabbed her dressing gown from the bathroom door and her stomach turned over as she pulled it on. This couldn’t be happening, but then again her crazy life never went right.
“Who’s not meant to be here? Is it the kids?” Greg asked as she opened the bedroom door.
“No… if I’m right, it’s worse, much worse.” Beth walked down the hallway to the kitchen.
“Hi, Mum, Dad. I wasn’t expecting you back yet. Let me put the kettle on.” Beth’s hands shook as she filled up the kettle. It was like being young again and getting caught slipping back in your bedroom window with your mother sitting waiting on the bed.
“That’s all right, dear. We thought we’d just pop in on our way home. I didn’t want to wake you up, so I thought we would let ourselves in. I suppose Josh is still asleep.” Her mother looked toward Dad and shook her head. “Your father’s prostate’s playing up again. He didn’t think he could make it the extra half hour ’til we got home.”
Beth watched as her mother poked around in drawers and cupboards. Some mothers never let go, but she came from a good place, even if the timing for the visit was awful. That was unfair … they had supported her so much after Jeff had died, and she had needed it. Then when they found out she was pregnant, it took six months before Mum would talk to her, but now she saw Josh as a new member of her family.
Dad came back from the toilet and gave her a hug and sat down.
Beth wasn’t sure this whole travelling around the country in a caravan was Mum’s dream. Dad had always wanted to do it. He appeared relaxed in his baggy cargo pants and loose t-shirt and had even grown a beard. All those years of working for the government and wearing a suit everyday were behind him. Retirement worked for him. He was only sixty-two, but looked younger as if some of the stress lines were starting to disappear.
Mum on the other hand, still wore her smart pants, a nice jumper, and her hair and makeup were immaculate. She had been a schoolteacher and vice principal. Beth wondered what it must be like some nights in the caravan with Mum bored and Dad chilling. Somewhere along the line they would work it out. All she knew was they never had bush holidays as kids. It always had to be at a trailer park with all the amenities … and Mum still wanted that.
“I told him he needs to see a specialist, but he won’t listen to me. All those herbal remedies he takes are doing nothing. Men are lucky when they want to take a leak that they don’t need a proper toilet, but I still think he’s watered every bush between here and Brisbane. I’m surprised the police haven’t pulled him over for indecent exposure.”
Dad shook his head as he peered at Mum. “Are the kids in bed? I thought I might have woken them up, flushing the loo.”
“No, they’re out on sleepovers and will be back later, and Josh is asleep. I fed him at six so he should be down for a while longer.” Beth couldn’t look at them as she placed their coffees down on the table. They talked of their trip and Beth tried to concentrate, but it didn’t work. Mum stood up.
“We should be heading off soon as we need to get the van sorted out. Your father’s already busy planning the next trip before we’re back from this one. I’ll just use the loo before we go, though.”
Dad talked about fishing, but Beth wasn’t listening as she had heard her mother slam the toilet door. Dad kept talking but she could hear Josh crying.
“I’ll go get him.” Beth jumped up and walked down the hallway to her room, but she was too late. Mum stood in the doorway with her mouth hanging open. “It’s okay, Mum, I’ll get Josh. Why don’t you go and finish your coffee?”
Beth sighed as her mother turned and walked back to the kitchen not looking at her. In the bedroom, she found Greg standing in his boxers cuddling Josh.
“I’m so sorry. It’s my parents.”
“It’s okay, Beth, take Josh down to them and I’ll get dressed. Look, if you don’t want me to talk to them, then I can leave.”
“No. They know you’re here now, so there’s no point in pretending and avoiding the subject. My mum has the ability to make me feel like I’m sixteen and sneaking someone in. The thing is they weren’t happy you were around before they left. I don’t know how this will go... I shouldn’t get you involved in my family squabbles.” She just wanted to curl up in a corner somewhere.
Greg kissed her cheek and smiled. “Josh is their grandson, and if I were them I’d probably feel the same.”
As Beth walked into the kitchen, she fought the urge to turn and head back down the hallway to Greg. Mum stood with arms crossed and lips pursed.
“You should have told us you had company, Beth. I don’t like to be put in that kind of situation.”
“Here, Mum … have Josh, he isn’t hungry, he just needs a cuddle.” Josh would calm her mother down. He always did. Mum sat down at the table and cooed at him. Beth took a deep breath. “My company, as you so politely put it. The man in my bedroom you just found holding Josh, is Greg.”
Her father was first to speak as he looked straight at her and smiled.
“Greg, as in Josh’s father, Greg?”
Beth nodded. Her mother huffed loudly and shook her head, and stared at Josh intently. Greg walked in and went straight to her father. Dad stood up and gave him the once over. Greg didn’t flinch under the star
e aimed at him. Both men were of similar height and build, and Beth’s stomach turned again at what was going to happen next.
“Mr. Miller, sir, I’m Greg Barnes … pleased to meet you.” Greg shook her father’s hand. “Mrs. Miller.”
Greg held out his hand but it was ignored as Mum kept looking at Josh. Silence. Why did Mum do that?
“Dad, Greg’s been doing work on the patio. He’s a carpenter and even David’s been helping and enjoying the work.” The words came out garbled as she spoke too fast, but Dad smiled at her and she loved him for it.
“Why don’t you show me? I’ve been telling Beth for the last two years she needed to get it fixed, I’m surprised one of them hasn’t fallen through before now,” Dad said, as he walked toward the patio doors.
“Would you like a coffee, Greg?” Beth asked. He nodded and his eyes connected with hers and made her feel calm. For a moment, she could forget her mother’s eyes boring into the back of her head. As the two men walked outside, Beth turned to her mother. This wasn’t going to be good, so she might as well get it over and done with.
“I just don’t understand, Beth. Your father and I have tried to support you through everything, even Josh here. You obviously meant nothing to this man. He was only present at the birth by sheer accident. You may be a grown woman, but I’m not going to stand by and watch you get hurt again.”
Mum gazed down at Josh as she spoke, but the anger could be heard in the inflection in each word. Beth poured the water into Greg’s mug.
“Mum. While you’ve been away, Greg has been looking after Josh, so I could go back to work. He’s been good with him and the kids, and when Josh was sick in hospital, he was a great support.” Beth wasn’t sure why she bothered trying to convince her.
“I would’ve thought that was what a father was supposed to do. What about David and Keri, do they accept him sleeping here?”
“Not that it’s any of your business who I sleep with, but I’m not the tramp you think I am. This was the first night he stayed here. And since Jeff died, I’ve only slept with someone twice, and it was the same man. The one out there, talking to Dad.” Their voices were getting louder and the neighbors would be complaining soon. Beth could feel her cheeks flush as her temper flared.
“So, you’re telling me he suddenly cares. We saw Jeff’s parents when we were in Brisbane… I don’t know how I’ll be able to face them again if you take up with this man.” Her mother huffed again and shook her head.
Beth bit her tongue and took Greg his coffee. She placed it down on the table, and he winked at her. She wished she could feel so relaxed. Back inside, her mother still refused to look up.
“Mum, I’m going to get changed, and if Greg comes back in, please be civil.”
Beth knew her mother was concerned, but wished they would butt out. Last night had been fun. Greg was kind, and great in bed, and made her feel sexy. She didn’t need it rubbed in her face that it was just sex, and especially not by her mother. Beth wasn’t sure she wanted to love someone again anyway. This was easier. It had hurt too much when she lost Jeff. If she started to feel for Greg, then she would risk feeling pain again … and she’d barely survived last time.
****
Greg watched Beth massage her temple as she walked back inside. Even with the patio doors closed, he heard the raised voices of the two women. He had seen Beth with her kids and knew she could lose it, and hoped he would never be on the other end of her wrath. Her folks were looking out for her, and he liked that. Greg tensed as Harry came and sat opposite.
“I can’t say we were pleased when we heard you were at Josh’s birth. Beth didn’t say much to us about how you two met, except that she didn’t think the father would be there. My wife Gillian’s a good woman, and to be honest, she was relieved you’d gone away again. It’s just we’ve become a bit protective with all our daughter’s been through. That aside, Beth says he’s your son, and I appreciate you would like to be around him. She’s been through a lot since Jeff was run down. She coped, but only just, and then Josh came along. People keep saying she’s strong, but a person can only take so much before they break.”
Greg’s pulse sped up. He could feel it pounding in his chest. Why the hell didn’t he bother to find out how Jeff had died? Shit, he hated things being complicated. Run down, it had a familiar ring to it, a ring no one would approve of. He didn’t like to think about things too much. He would rather act. That hadn’t done him too much good in the past, all the years behind bars. He wasn’t giving Josh up, so he would have to say something.
“I like Beth, and I want to see my son. We’re good friends, and I want you to know I don’t want to upset anybody here.”
“She’s a lovely girl. Her trouble is her heart’s so open.”
At least Greg knew where he stood. If any crap went down from now on, he would get the blame for it. It was the story of his life. He stood up. “I’d better go and let you all talk.”
Greg placed his mug in the sink. Gillian hadn’t said anything when he walked in. If she thought she could stare him down, she was wrong. She backed down looking at Josh. Beth walked back down the hallway, and he picked up his bag.
“You’re going?” Beth said as he entered the bedroom.
He heard the sadness in her voice and it made it harder to leave. For the first time in ages, he didn’t want to walk away. This wasn’t good.
“Let me walk you out to your car.”
On the front steps away from her parents, he didn’t know whether to grab her or run. Beth stood there not looking up. Walk away, he told himself. He put his arms around her and pulled her close so their bodies touched.
“I’m so sorry about this,” Beth said.
“It’s okay, don’t worry. You didn’t do anything wrong. We’ll talk later, all right?”
“Before you go, I want you to know I have no regrets about last night.” She stood back waiting for a response, and though his brain said walk away, he kissed her instead.
As always, it was so easy to get lost in her mouth. Her lips parted and he was lost again as if the rest of the world didn’t exist when they were together. If her parents hadn’t been there he would have taken her back to bed. This wasn’t going to end well when neither of them could resist the other.
Chapter Twelve
Greg let the water pound his back. If Beth’s folks hadn’t turned up, he would have liked to shower with her. He would have liked to feel her press her butt back against him as she leaned back and rinsed suds from her hair. He would have turned her around and lifted her so those legs encircled his waist as he pummeled her against the shower wall.
She kept intruding into his thoughts, and that was something no other female had done before––then again, no other woman had given birth to his son. This was so far from where he’d thought his future would go. One thing he did expect: He would tell lies about his past, and here he was doing just that.
As far as women were concerned, he was always controlled. This time it was different, and it wasn’t just Josh, it was Beth. He liked her way too much. He didn’t know what love meant, but had a feeling this bordered on the emotion. Once she found out about his past it would be all over, especially now he knew how Jeff died.
He dried off and headed back to his room. When he came back out into the lounge room, two of the guys were coming in looking the worse for wear from an all-night bender.
“Hey, Greg! You been a naughty boy, then?” Tony said as he wagged a finger at him.
Greg shook his head. “What are you on about?”
“It’s your pick-up, mate. Someone’s written stuff all down the side.”
Greg followed them back out. The pick-up was in the driveway where he’d reversed it. He couldn’t see anything wrong. The guys walked around to the passenger side. Painted in black down the length of the tray were the words: Clear out, they don’t need scum like you.
It had to refer to his being around Beth and the kids. It was unclear from the message
whether the writer knew about his time in prison. If they did, then he might as well pack up the vehicle right now. Why was it when things started to go well, something would come along and kick you back down where you belong. He would never get out of the gutter.
“I thought you were at your kid’s place last night,” Tony said.
“I was.”
“This is some weird shit, man. You should tell the cops.”
“I don’t talk to cops.” Even the mention of them made Greg clench and unclench his fists. The anger built as his pulse beat faster. That was the old way of dealing with things. He had a kid. He had to be calm for Josh’s sake. Greg didn’t have a clue who the hell could have done this.
“You’re mad, mate.”
“Can it, Tony,” Des said, thumping Tony on the back.
Greg spent the rest of the morning cleaning the paint off. He still wasn’t sure what to tell Beth. He didn’t want to freak her out with the thought she had some secret weird protector. For a brief moment, the thought he could move in and protect them crossed his mind. Who would protect them from him?
It would just make things harder when it all went ass up. Picking up his cell phone, he stared at Beth’s number on the screen. His finger kept hovering over the call button. He took a deep breath and pressed it.
“Hi, it’s Greg. I was wondering if I could come ’round.” He knew he was fooling himself, but he suspected he could hear the smile in her voice. How stupid was that? She said the kids were not due back ’til four, so they would have a chance to talk.
Parking his pick-up in her driveway, he gazed around and wondered if he was being watched. No curtains were drawn back––he was probably just being paranoid. Josh was in the bouncer when he walked in, and Greg tickled his tummy. Beth smiled at Greg and tousled his hair. Nobody had ever touched him like that, and he was starting to enjoy this woman’s touch. Everything about her, in fact.